An awesome read by Minnie Lahongrais - check out her guest post and excerpt...
Read it first at Cloey's
Claudia Discusses her Feelings about Adina with her BFF
***
“Welcome! Come in!”
Tommy and Mason shook hands and Claudia stepped around them to greet Adina.
“And you must be Adina! It is so good to meet you! I’m Claudia.”
“It’s nice to meet you as well, Claudia. You have a lovely home. Thank you for having us over.”
“Why, thank you. And having you guys over, well, we should do this more often!
“Mason, did you say hello to Adina?”
“I’m about to!
“Adina baby! Come here and give a real man a hug!”
Adina smiled and embraced Mason as Claudia hugged Tommy. She simpered and churned a bit internally: Oh my gosh! What have I gotten myself into? These people are so normal!
“So, Tommy, where’s the wine I asked you to bring?” Claudia asked.
“Right here, Momma Bear. I brought two bottles of chilled Chardonnay and a bottle of Merlot because I just know you made steak, right?”
Claudia rolled her eyes.
“Yes, I made steak. Let’s break open one of these bottles of Chardonnay until we’re ready to eat.”
They all went inside and it was light banter and getting-to-know-you conversation. After a while, Claudia asked Adina to help her in the kitchen with the salad.
“Adina, do you mind chopping the vegetables over there?”
“No, not at all.”
Adina reached for the carrots, rinsed them out over the sink and patted them dry. She took a potato peeler to task but after about thirty seconds she could feel Claudia eyeballing her. Claudia would not be a good poker player.
“Is there something wrong?” Adina asked her.
“Well, there is something I want to say to you. You can tell me to mind my business, and I won’t be upset, but I’ve got to get this off my chest.”
All sorts of alarms went off in Adina’s head. She switched to a knife and began slicing green peppers.
“What’s on your mind, Claudia?”
“It’s Tommy.”
“What about him?”
”He’s in love with you, Adina.”
“I love him, too.”
“Then why the break?”
“That’s none of your business.”
“Ok, I’m sorry. But know this. Tommy and Mason are tighter than brothers. That makes him my family. He’s a good guy and I don’t want to see him hurt. You feel me?”
“I feel you. Is that all?”
Adina was unperturbed.
“I just wanted you to know how it is.”
“You did indeed. Is this enough salad?” Adina asked, dismissing her.
***
***
“Hello?”
“Hey sister-friend! You don’t sound like you. What’s up? How did the dinner go last night?”
“Girl, let me tell you about this bitch!”
“Oh! Oh! What happened?”
“Have you got time? I’m so pissed right now it’s not even funny! I am spittin’ mad!”
“I’ve got all the time you need. Now, go on, girl. Tell me what happened; and start from the beginning. I want you to make me feel like I was there.”
Andrea didn’t like gossip but she was entertained by it and chuckled lightly. Claudia scoffed.
“What does she look like?”
“She’s Puerto Rican, cute but not a ten, you know what I mean?”
“Oh, Claudia! See? Why do you have to go there? You need to stop hatin’!”
“I ain’t hatin’! It’s true!
Andrea sighed loudly.
But Claudia continued talking; oblivious to her girlfriend’s frustration.
“She was cute. She had on a little black dress – simple, you know? Pink studs in her ears, pumps and a matching necklace. I think they might have been tiny pink diamonds, but you know, maybe not.”
This time Andrea rolled her eyes. She hated when Claudia acted a fool. But she encouraged her friend to go on. This was going to be good!
“Ok… So what happened? What’s got you so upset?”
“Well, after a bit of chit chat, I invited her into the kitchen to help with the salad. I wanted to get her alone, you know, away from the guys.”
“You sneaky bitch!”
Claudia flinched, but chuckled not letting on how bothered she was being called a bitch.
“So, we’re in the kitchen fixing the salad. Did you know that she and Tommy were on a break?”
“No! I didn’t know that!”
“Yeah, girl. So, I told her I had to get something off my chest. I said: ‘You know, Tommy’ s in love with you.’ And she claimed she was in love with him too but then she got all tight lipped and told me to mind my business when I asked her about their break.”
“Oh! Oh! What did you say to her?”
“I told her I was just letting her know that if she messed with Tommy she would have me to answer to.”
“Damn, Claudia. You wouldn’t have been having that conversation had you told me they were on break! I would’ve jumped on that sucker right quick, girl! That boy is fine with a capital “F”! Jeez! What kind of friend are you?”
“Girl, you need to stay away from him! That boy ain’t right for you.”
“Oh C’mon Claudia! As far as you’re concerned, no one’s “right” for him!”
Andrea sarcastically emphasized the word “right”.
“Well, I’m not going to stand by and watch some chick break his heart. And you know you would! You’d have him for breakfast. But then again, that might not be a bad idea, right?”
“Hey! I’m not ‘some chick’! I thought we were friends!”
Andrea became very indignant, defensive and very annoyed by the low blow expertly applied by Claudia. She hated that her supposed friend was always trying to block her when it came to Tommy. If she really wanted him, she could’ve had him a long time ago. He just didn’t respond to her flirtations. At one point, she thought he might be gay, so when she heard about Adina, she wanted to know everything.
“We’re more than friends; we’re sister friends,” said Claudia.
Not in the least bit appeased, Andrea continued her tongue lashing.
“Claudia, you need to mind your business when it comes to Tommy. Why are you always trying to get between him and his girlfriends? Sooner or later, he’s gonna start hating you.”
“He’s not going to hate me. Besides, I’m just looking out for him. He doesn’t have anyone to take care of him.”
“And how does Mason feel about all this?”
“Girl, he was so pissed at me, he called me ghetto. He even slept on the couch last night and then when he left for work this morning, he stormed out without saying a word to me.”
“Oh wow!” You need to apologize to him, maybe even Adina too. You were wrong. It’s never right to come between or get involved in two people’s relationship. What you see on the outside is nothing but a cover for what goes on behind closed doors.
“You’re my friend and I love you but in this case, Adina was right. You need to mind your own business.”
“You don’t understand, Andrea! I’m telling you, that girl is going to break Tommy’s heart! I can feel it! Believe me, she ain’t nothing but
trouble!”
What a ride...
You have got to read this one!...
Many thrills and unanticipated twists...
Book Description
Psych Thriller Adds Deviant Twists to Sociopath Theme
RJ and Adina enter the world as fraternal twins, one raised by old-world, controlling immigrants in El Barrio, the other sold into a religious home filled with lies and scorn. Both are sociopaths.
Turns out, RJ’s got a secret that enrages him with the flip of a switch. Adina uses her sexual power to dominate every man in her life. They are on a mysterious trajectory to cross paths in New York City, where the end of their lives culminates in an apex of horror and carnage.
Worldwide purchase links:
About the author:
Native New Yorker, Minnie Lahongrais unwittingly kick-started her second career when she began writing an urban fantasy tale intended to help her cope with the death of her father. November of that year, she set that story aside to immerse herself in the annual madness of NaNoWriMo, meeting the challenge head on. Her first novel, “Sinner’s Ride” was published Spring of 2011. That summer, she found herself obsessed with the story idea for “Divergent Lives.”
Next on her agenda is the urban fantasy she began at the outset of her journey. She now plans to write that story as a trilogy.
Ms. Lahongrais currently lives in New York City. She finds time to write every day and spends her free time with her family.
Contact Minnie:
Website: www.minnielahongrais.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Lahongrais
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Lahongrais
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